William w



W. W. BYAM.

BLINID-SLAT ADJUST Patented 0ct.10.18'76.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM W. BYAM, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHTTO E. O. BYAM, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLlND-SLAT ADJUSTERS- Specification forming part ofLetters Patent N 0. 182,992, dated October 10, 1876; application filedFebruary 28, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. BYAM, of the city of Rochester, in thecountyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Blind- Slat Adjusters; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theconstruction and operation of the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a central vertical sectionof a window, showing my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan ofthe fixture which is attached tothe blind. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof the cam. Fig. 4 is a side and front elevation of the connecting-rod.Fig. 5 is a diagram, illustrating the action of the connecting-rod andslats. Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudinal and cross sections of the key.

This invention relates to devices for operating the slats ofwindow-blinds from the inside of the room with the window closed. It isan improvement on the patent issued to me December 14, 1875, No.171,096; and consists in the novel construction and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described and definitely claimed.

A A represent the ordinary sashes of a window. B is the blind. The slatsa a of the blind are attached in the ordinary manner, and are operatedby the usual rod 0, which is connected with the slats by hook-and-eycjoints b b. D is a frame or fixture made of cast-iron, and attached tothe lower rail of the blind by feet 0 0, so as to stand off from therail, as shown in Fig. 2. It has a bearing-head, d, with a round hole toreceive the hub of the cam, as will presently be described. E is thecam. It is a loop or scroll of cast-iron, in crank form, and has twojournals or bearings h z, situated in the same axial line. The frontjournal It forms the hub which rests in the head d, while the rear,bearing '6 is a simple boss, which enters a corresponding socket orcavity formed in the spring-bar m. This spring-bar is a narrow plate ofcast-iron or other metal, made slightly curved outward, and having itsends resting within or beneath the feet 0 c of the frame D. This barbeing made very thin and bowing outward, it forms a natural spring tohold the cam forward against the head d, thereby producing friction uponthe cam, and enabling the latter to hold its position at any point inits turning movement, and consequently hold the blind'slats fast at anydegree of opening. The backward bearing of the cam against the face ofthis spring-bar has the tendency to expand the ends of the latteragainst the feet 0 c, by which means it is always retained in place. Ifind the spring-plate m very efiiicient, since its elasticity ispermanent, and it is attached outside, requiring no boring or otherfitting. It can also be applied or removed while the frame D is attachedin place. G is a connecting-rod attached to the lower end of theblind-slat rod 0, and having on its lower end a loop or socket, n, whichfits upon the crank portion of the cam. [t is made close fitting to thecam, but loose enough to allow the proper working of the cam forward andback. The cam is constructed with a crank portion, 4;, in the center,which throws the connecting-rod up and down, and with a spiral length,to, on the back side, which draws the connecting-rod out and in tocompensate for the turning of the blind-slats in opening or closing.This form of the cam is such, as shown in the drawings, and the fittingof the loopp to it is such that as the blind-slat rod 0 moves up anddown to turn the slats it also turns from one side to the other on theaxis of the hook-and-eye joints b b, and thereby bears bodily againstthe edges of the blind-slats in all positions of the latter in theirturning movement, thereby holding them firmly at all positions by thesimple friction of the two parts together. This is clearly shown in Fig.5. The frame D, when fixed in place, can be adjusted to the lateralthrow of the slat-rod in turning upon the joints b b, and the movementof the cam E and the axial turning of the slat-rod are so adjusted thatthey move without binding. G is a supplementary rod, connecting thelower slat-rod O with an upper one, C, where double or divided blindsare employed. This supplementary rod extends across the lower rail ofthe upper blind. It has a slot, k, in which are inserted screws 1 I,Fig. 4. This is for the purpose of allowing the slats of the upper blindto open but partially, while those of the lower blind open to the fullextent. It is frequently the case that the upper blind stands so nearthe upper sash that the slats of that blind cannot open to the fullextent owing to the striking ofthe slat-rod against the sash. In thatcase, when the slat-rod G strikes the sash the lower slat-rod 0 slidesdown in the slot it till the lower slats are fully opened, the upperslats meanwhile remaining stationary. The screws 1 I can be placed atany adjustment in the slot is to allow the proper action to take place.This same arrangement of the supplementary connecting-rod may be usedwith single long blinds in which the upper slats can open but part way.H is the key'shaft, by which the cam E is operated. It asses through thelower rail of the sash and strikes into a square socket, e, of the hubIt. To enable the shaft to center itself, the face of the head d and hubh are made concave. The shaft rests in and passes through a barrel, n,of the escutcheon, Which is fastened upon the sash-rail, and has uponits outer end a thumbpiece, 0, by which it is operated. The shaft iscomposed of two parts, 1' 8, one sliding within the other, as shown.Theinner part 8 has a series of notches, t t, cut into one edge, andinto any one of these notches fits a wire, M, which encircles the shankof the part 1', passing through holes of the shank, as represented inFig. 7. This wire also serves the additional purpose of a stop, strikingagainst the end of the barrel n to prevent the withdrawal of thekey-shaft from the sash. In the barrel n is a coiled spring, 2, whichencircles the key-shaft, resting between the shoulders y y, and therebythrowing the key-shaft outward, with the wire stop u resting against theend of the hearing, as before described.

To engage the key-shaftwith the cam, it is pressed in against thespring, and the moment it is released it is thrown out againautomatically. By this means the key-shaft remains disengaged at alltimes when not forcibly pressed in, and therefore is available forraising and lowering the window-sash. Two of these key-shafts are usedin each sash. The adjustment in the length of the key-shaft by thenotches t and wire a is to adapt the length of the key-shaft todifi'erent thicknesses of the sash-rail, or to the different distancesat which the blind stands from the sash. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Thecombination, with the frame D and cam E, of the spring-plate m, arrangedto operate in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the slat-rods G G, of the supplementaryconnecting-rod G, provided with the slot 70 and screws ll, as and forthe purpose specified.

3. The key-shaft H, constructed with the two adjusting portions 0' s, incombination with the barrel n and reaching-spring z, as and for thepurpose specified.

4. The combination, with the sections '1 s of the key-shaft, of the wirestop a, passing through holes of the shank and entering notches in thepart s,'as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM W. BYAM.

Witnesses R. F. Oseoon, E. B. Scozrr.

